deceptive

adjective

di-ˈsep-tiv How to pronounce deceptive (audio)
Definition of deceptivenext
1
as in misleading
tending or having power to deceive in his deceptive answer about the vehicle's history, the salesman said that the used car had never been hit by another car

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fraudulent
given to or marked by cheating and deception a mail-order firm indicted for deceptive business practices

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of deceptive Artificial intelligence models can develop deceptive behavior from training material that appears harmless to safety monitors. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 31 Oct. 2026 Thiago Coelho, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said his clients will continue seeking accountability for deceptive marketing. — Reuters, NBC news, 31 Oct. 2026 Supporters say licensing will give California the authority to act on any complaints, and to investigate and penalize companies for unfair or deceptive practices. — Audrey McGlinchy, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026 And crucially, deceptive and youth-targeted marketing should be strictly prohibited. — Amy L. Kennedy, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for deceptive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deceptive
  1. misleading
  2. fraudulent
  3. false
  4. shady
  5. dishonest
  6. crooked
Adjective
  • Early voting trends and stories about how long the lines are in reliably red or blue districts are tempting to use as data points — but are notoriously misleading.
    — Ben Smith, semafor.com, 3 Nov. 2026
  • The claim featured in the ad was rated misleading, as a series of court records undercut the claim that Hamilton attempted to protect the child abuser.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of misleading
Adjective
  • Prosecutors alleged in the complaint that the applications included false and fraudulent statements, such as the number of employees and average monthly payroll.
    — Ruben Vives Follow, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Fake celebrity endorsements, manipulated videos and fraudulent holiday giveaways can make questionable offers appear legitimate.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of fraudulent
Adjective
  • Black asserts that the statements made by Garcia are false and that traveling to appear on national television to make such statements about the inquiry into Epstein’s crimes goes beyond the purview of a member of Congress.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 5 Nov. 2026
  • The hotel had something of a false, albeit star-studded, start, opening for just one night in April 2020 (with first guests including stellar artists Hiroshi Sugimoto and Takashi Murakami), before it was closed by the pandemic.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of false
Adjective
  • In addition, consumer devices, including smart TVs and routers, can be secretly ensnared by such proxy services via malware or shady third-party software development kits (SDKs).
    — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 5 Nov. 2026
  • In making an explicit pledge not to sell customer data to outside firms, Ford is trying to position itself as one of the better actors in an industry rife with shady practices.
    — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of shady
Adjective
  • The debate also took on an edgy, deeply personal tone, as the candidates repeatedly accused each other of being dishonest or misleading.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The other coach is dishonest and decides to strategically rank their players in a different order.
    — Dana Mackenzie, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of dishonest
Adjective
  • The wings were awkward and ugly, tipped with crooked, writhing little hands, the outstretched skin loose and shivering between its fingers.
    — Téa Obreht, New Yorker, 1 Nov. 2026
  • When a job goes wrong and Viktor is seriously hurt, Malina cuts a deal with a crooked doctor.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 31 Oct. 2026
Definition of crooked

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Cite this Entry

“Deceptive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deceptive. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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